Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1887-06-04
EVERY FACULTY SUSPENDED.
Singular Case OF Loss OF Identity
and Mysterious Restoration.

NoREreTow~ PA most yemarka-
bic case Of loss II Identity, recalling the
story of Griffith Gaunt, is agitating So
cietv circles here. Surgeon-General
L. ". Read was called IN, and says the
case is the most peculiar in his wide
range Of experience.
Six weeks ago a strange gentleman Of
good address came here and rented a
store on last Main street. He divided
the room into two apartments by means
Of curtains. The rear he furnished and
occupied as a living room !. the front he
stocked with notions and toys and did 8
modest but successful business. The
family from whom he rented the store
came in daily contact with their tenant,
but neither they Q any OF hls patrons
ever noticed anything peculiar in his
manner or habits. He visited Phila-
delphia several times, r~eplenished his
stock and conducted his business care
fully
No mental obliquitv was noticed until
Yesterday morning, when he knocked at
the door leading from the store To the
dwelling part Of the building. h1Irs.
Earl, who answered the knock, was SIR
Dr:>ed to hear him ask "Where am l."
She tried to convince him Of his where
abonte. bat failing her husband came to
her assistance. To him the tenan made
the following statement q awoke
about four O'Clock this morning after
dreaming that | was buying and selling
merchandise. I discovered that | was
in a store, and was seized with the fear
that ! would be arrested as a burglar.
Now | want to know where | am He
could not be made to believe that he
was in NOrristOwn, or that he visited
Philadelphia recently. H only answer
ed II was in Philadelphia twenty
eight years ago, but not since that
time"
Or. Read was then summoned, AMI to
him the stranger made the following
statement Doctor, I have Just wax
cned from a confused dream. | am IN
formed that L am IN Norristown, Penn
March. If this is true the past two
months have been an entire blank to
me-. Yesterday | left my home IN
Coventry, Rhode Island. But that was
the morning of January is. | drove to
Green's Station on the New England
Railroad. left my horse and carriage in
charge Of a friend, went to Providence,
drew 500 from the bank, called at sew
eral places, including the store of my
nephew, Andrew Harris, No. III Broad
street, opposite the Narraganset Hotel,
and left there to go to my sisters resi-
dence on Westminster Street. | have
q distinct recollection of having passed
the Adams Express office, corner Of
Dorrance and Broad streets, but have no
recollection Of a single event since that
time. | am a minister of the Gospel,
my name is Ansel Bourne and [ am
slxty-one years of age"
DIR. Read left him in the care of Mr..
Earl's family; with instructions to par
take copiously of food. He then tele-
graphed Andrew Harris do you
know Ansel Bourne? Please answer
and received the following reply: "He
is my uncle. Wire me where he is and
if well. Write particulars
Mr.. Bourne is rapidly regaining his
faculties, and is a~nxiouslv awaiting the
arrival of relatives, when he will dispose
of his stock of notions and toys and re-
turn home. He is a man of good address,
fine appearance and an interesting
talker.
DIR. Read is completely mystified thus
far and will venture no opinion on the
case.